Karl’s Inn of the Barristers in downtown Cleveland sets final closing call

Karl’s Inn of the Barristers, once a haunt for the Cuyahoga County court crowd in downtown Cleveland, plans to close March 18 after what owner Karl Abounader calls its last “big blowout” party.

The reason: He said he has been evicted by the owner of the Marion Building, 1276 West Third St., because the rest of the seven-story building is closed and his space needs updates to remain open. Abounader’s building is owned by an affiliate of Weston, the large Warrensville Heights-based property owner of industrial and apartment buildings.

“The property manager handed me the paper personally,” Abounader said in an interview at the eatery on Wednesday, Feb. 8. He said he talked to Weston CEO T.J. Asher and president James Asher, but they told him they have little choice.

“I tried to convince them to let me stay for one more Browns season,” Abounader said of the team that plays a short walk on the lakefront. “The Browns are really our bread and butter. They are what has kept us going. They’ll probably go to the Super Bowl next year and I won’t be here for it.”

Weston did not return three emails and a phone call about the closing by 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The restaurant staff is down to Abounader, who serves as host, server and chef, although he has a dishwasher come in twice a week. He has operated the 150-seat, two-level restaurant and bar since 1991.

Asked if he is profitable, Abounader said, “We’re not setting the world on fire. But we are getting by.”

At its peak, the haven for lovers of corned beef sandwiches or people seeking lunch at a sit-down place or a quick pop across the street from the Justice Center had about eight servers, a bartender and two chefs.

Yes, the pandemic has hurt, he said, as many area court employees still work from home.

However, the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, he said, harmed his business the most. That’s because the West Third Street entrance — which made him just a hop from the court tower, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s office and Cleveland Police headquarters — was closed for security reason as the war on terror began. The public entrance was consolidated at the Justice Center’s main entrance on Ontario Street.

The social unrest after the police killing of George Floyd also hurt.

“There was a party in here for hours,” Abounader recalled. “I had to redo all the booths.”

Abounader said he would not throw the Asher family “under the bus” because the building is theirs to close, and he rented on a month-to-month basis. The Ashers showed him a replacement location at their nearby Standard Building, which has retail space on the first floor and apartments above. He said he did not pursue terms as he worried about set-up costs.

At age 71, he said he likely will not seek a new place downtown. He also has other pursuits. He said he also owns two kiosks serving the open-air section of Crocker Park in Westlake, which his four sons “do a good job” operating.

News of the planned closing reported Feb. 7 by 19 News provided the buzz as customers came in for lunch on Feb. 8.

Marvin Cross, who said he is retired from the Cleveland Division of Police, said he has eaten at Karl’s for decades.

“This is crazy,” Cross said of the closing. “Karl’s done a lot for the community over the years, including the Police Athletic League.”

Sherri Hrach of Parma said she and a female acquaintance, who did not want to be named, stopped in to check out the place because they had an appointment downtown and had seen the closing news on TV.

“It’s really cool,” Hrach said. “It’s hard to see a place like this go.”

Abounader said he plans to spend the next few weeks thanking the many friends who have helped or supported him over the years, as well as his customers.

“I’m getting calls from people all over the country about the closing,” Abounader said. It’s a measure of recognition he prizes as a person came up to him at a football game in Miami and asked if he was Karl from Karl’s Inn of the Barristers.

Steel grates stretched across the main entrance and rear entrance to the Marion Building sure make it look closed. CoStar reports Karl’s as the only occupant of the structure.